Developing a cross-platform port simulation system.
Michael R. Nevins · University of North Texas Digital Library (University of North Texas) · 1999
With the advent of networked computer systems that connect disparate computer hardware and operating systems, it is important for port simulation systems to be able to run on a wide variety of computer platforms. This paper describes the design and implementation issues in reengineering the PORTSIM model in order to field the model to Windows-based systems as well as to Unix-based systems such as the Sun, Silicon Graphics, and HP workstations. The existing PORTSIM model was written to run on a Sun workstation running Unix. The model was initially implemented in MODSIM and C and utilized embedded SQL to retrieve port, ship, and cargo data from back-end OMCLE databases. Output reports, graphs, and tables for model results were written in C, utilizing third-party graphics libraries. This design and implementation worked well for the intended hardware platform and configuration, but as the number of model users grew and as the capabilities of the model expanded, a need developed to field the model to varying hardware configurations. This new requirement demanded that the existing design be modified to more easily allow for model fielding and maintenance. A phased approach is described that (1) identifies the existing model from which cross-platform development began, (2) delineates an intermediate client-server model that has been developed utilizing Java to allow for greater flexibility and ease in distributing and fielding the model, and (3) describes the final goals to be achieved in this development process.